Yellow Bus News

Updates for 2024-2025

Welcome back to another year of Yellow School Bus service! This is an informational update for all families, new to Ross Valley or returning. Please read on to be sure you are aware of the following changes:

Program Funding and Pass Price

Without additional state or district funding to help cover the cost of the program, the Joint Exercise of Powers Authority (JEPA) has authorized several program changes for the 2024-25 school year to keep the program sustainable and cover the remaining costs:

• The price of one way passes for the Ross Valley program has been set at $675 each. Income qualified passes remain discounted, priced at $75 each (more information below).
• To help reduce the cost of program management and program oversight, there will be no lottery process for the 2024-25 Yellow Bus pass sales. All passes for Hidden Valley and White Hill will be released to the public and made available for families on May 30, 2024, at 12:00 PM.
• As there will be no lottery process, there will also be no waitlists created.
• The route designated for Ross Valley Charter school has been discontinued.

Thank you for your continued support of the Ross Valley Yellow Bus program.

Income Qualified Reduced-Price Passes

The goal of the Ross Valley Yellow Bus program is to ensure that all families, regardless of their financial situation, have equal access to the program. To meet that goal, we are pleased to continue to offer reduced-price passes to income-qualified families at $75 each.

You can learn more about the program and download the eligibility form here.

If you believe you may be eligible for the discount, we encourage you to complete the 2024-25 reduced pass application and submit it to the Ross Valley School District offices. If you have any questions, please contact Jenni Wright at 415.451.4074, or by email, at jwright@rossvalleyschools.org.

 

2024-25 Bus Route Changes

This school year, all bus routes have been adjusted from previous years. Please triple check the route you wish to sign up for before purchasing.

The 2024-25 bus routes and schedules can be found on the program website. Please remember that bus routes are all subject to change and we may make service adjustments throughout the school year.

To increase service reliability, stops in Fairfax and along Sir Francis Drake will only be offered for the AM yellow bus routes. Parents will need to coordinate alternate transportation options for students who would otherwise use these stops on the PM routes. Please note that all stops no longer served in the PM by the Yellow Bus program are served by public transportation. Please see the Marin Transit website for more information: https://marintransit.org/schools

If you need help locating the nearest bus stop or selecting a bus route, please refer to the system-wide bus stop and route locator map on the program website. If you still need assistance, please email school@marintransit.org or call 415.419.2533.

2024-25 Program Pass Sale Schedule

As previously stated, there will be no lottery process for passes sold for the 2024-25 school year.

All passes will be available for purchase on May 30, 2024, at 12:00 PM.

If purchased before July 12, 2024, parents will have the option to pay the full amount at once or to pay in two separate installments.

If selecting the installment payment option, the first payment will be processed to your card upon placing your order. A $11.50 per charge per pass processing fee is included in the total price. The remaining payment will be processed via a separate invoice and will be sent out by Marin Transit staff. 

The second invoice will need to be paid in full by August 2.

Student passes will not be issued until the second payment has been completed.

Any passes purchased after July 12 will require the pay in full option.

 

Thank you all for your continued support of the Ross Valley Yellow Bus! We are excited to bring this service to our community and are looking forward to a safe and successful school year.